Friday, April 4, 2008

Correlations between Western Lifestyle and Heart Disease [extended]

By Ibnu Purniawan (10205039)

Heart disease is one of killing factors in the world. Heart disease is not a genetically based disease. Basically, this caused by our daily activity that’s called lifestyle. Heart diseases were attacking the Western populations with bigger victims than Eastern population (about 31% of death). This has been placed in the number one killing factor in USA. So I think, Western populations are having higher risk attacked by heart problems. Western populations with their modern lifestyle make the problems become more serious. In other side, the western lifestyle also become the most leading risk factor of heart disease in others society.

Western Culture may help to explain Western populations risk about heart problems. The culture is about what their consumptions (diet) and daily activity (exercise). Based on their culture, western society is taking more cholesterol, nicotine, and alcohol in their consumptions. It becomes worst by lack of exercise and higher rate of stress. All of those factors are some of risk factors those scientists believe can cause heart disease. For example, “Geographic pathology shows that adult populations with a high regular intake of milk (non-low fat), such as was customary in Scandinavia and in part of the Western world, has a higher risk of heart disease” (John H. Weisburger. 2004).

Heart disease is a phenomenon of a 'Western' lifestyle, associated with malnutrition, in the sense of poor dietary habits, lack of exercise and the use of drugs such as nicotine and alcohol. Western as a leader in modern lifestyle is likely hard to stop their unhealthy lifestyle. The shadow effect is like these data’s. Based on some researchers, “ fifty-six million American women have high cholesterol, 33% of women have high blood pressure, and 62% of women are overweight ”(David Cowley). I also found that “ According to national surveys of alcohol consumption in the prior 30 days, over half of U.S. adults drank alcohol. Furthermore, approximately 5% of the total population drank heavily and 15% of the population engaged in binge drinking ”(anon. www.thecommunityguide.org/alcohol/). These are just little examples that mean they have higher risk.

As we know, Western Society is a leader in heart disease prevention too. But, the fruits of their effort have risen yet. They will be never getting it until they leaving their unhealthy lifestyle. Although they are developing some high technology to cure this, it’s become uses less.

Based on Western lifestyle has contributed to heart disease risk factor in the whole world, especially in eastern society which has acculturated with western culture. China with a large population is the match example. This acculturation can be attributed to the changing lifestyle in China. “Younger people and children eat more unhealthy Western style food and because of increasing wealth, take less exercise. In the past, children in China would have to walk long distances to school but now in the cities it is often the case that parents drive their children to school” (Phil Slocombe. 2007). The indirect effect is the overweight people become higher.

Finally, Heart disease is a phenomenon of a 'Western' life style, associated with malnutrition, in the sense of poor dietary habits, lack of exercise and the use of drugs such as nicotine and alcohol consumption. So, “making changes in our unhealthy lifestyle is a proven method for reducing our risk of developing heart disease. While there are no guarantees that a heart-healthy lifestyle will keep heart disease away, these changes will certainly improve our health in other ways, such as improving our physical and emotional well being. Also, because some risk factors are related to others, making changes in one area can benefit other areas” (Robert J Bryg. 2006). (<>.<>)

References

Excessive Alcohol Consumption. [Online article]. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from World wide web: http:// www.thecommunityguide.org/alcohol/.

Interview with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr (by the Cleveland Medical Journal). 2003. Coronary Heart Improvement Project; Coronary Plaque Meltdown . Lifestyle Medicine Institute. 11,29. Pdf Version Retrieved April 3, 2008 from World wide web : www.chipusa.org/downloads/Section11_2832.pdf

John H. Weisburger.2004 Lifestyle, health and disease prevention: the underlying mechanisms. [Online article]. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FDL/is_2_11/ai_n17207265.

David Cowley. Women and Heart Disease.[Online Article]. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from world wide web: http://hubpages.com/hub/Women-and-Heart-Disease.

Phil slocombe.( Nov 15, 2007). Western Life Style Puts Chinese Children at Risk. [Online article]. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from World wide web: http://my.telegraph.co.uk/phil_slocombe/november_2007/western_lifestyle_puts_chinese_children_at_risk.htm.

Robert J Bryg. 2006. Heart Disease: Risk Factors for Heart Disease. [Online article]. Retrieved April 3, 2008 from http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/risk-factors-heart-disease.

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